In the late 1980’s I left a very good job because I refused to follow a direct order that, though legal, was contrary to both policy and practice of the…
Category: Employee Engagement
Workplace Productivity in the Post-Inauguration Period
Psst! Psst! Yeah, you. Look around. Listen. What do you hear? Does your workplace look and sound like it usually does? I bet it doesn’t. Odds are that more people…
To Raise Productivity, Stop Putting Lipstick on Pigs
Despite unprecedented increase in the amount of digital labor-saving technology applied to our commercial processes, the U.S. rate of productivity growth has effectively been sawed in half over the last decade. You…
Less Selfies, More Ussies
As a leadership coach, I work with managers up and down the ladder, helping them refine and capitalize on their strengths, discover hidden (to them) weaknesses, and rehab or minimize…
On Being the New Sheriff
As of noon today, for those of us in the US, there will be, as we say, a new sheriff in town. Based on the popular vote, more than half…
All Millennials Are...Different
Years ago, I participated in a diversity workshop that featured an exercise called “All Iowans are Naive”, the object of which was to expose the fallacy of stereotypes. And fallacious…
Leaders Are Optimists
Owing to ever tighter budgets, higher expectations, and a skinny but distracted workforce, the practice of leadership in today’s workspace is difficult enough. We unnecessarily add to that burden and…
Great Cakes Start with Great Ingredients
In what little ‘me time’ she has, my wife is an avid baker. As such, she has long maintained that “great cakes start with great ingredients.” That axiom is every…
Good Leaders are Masters of Their Time and Priorities
Nearly everyone who steps into a leadership role at any level is asked to do many more things than can possibly fit on their plate. They’ve got essentially four choices:…
Good Leaders Are Quick to Share Credit and Take Responsibility
I became a fan of Green Bay Packers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers recently. Not for what he did during his game-time 30 minutes with a football in his hand, admirable as…